1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a baseball pitching machine. More particularly, it relates to an arm pitching machine.
2. Related Art
Pitching machines are commonly used for batting practice so as to not overwork pitching arms, including coaches' arms. Disc or wheel driven machines are the most common type of pitching machines. They typically use on rotating wheel or two counter-rotating wheels to engage and propel a baseball. The other principle type of pitching machine use an elongated arm that rotates about an axis. Arm pitching machines typically store energy in a spring that is rapidly released to propel the arm and a ball. Arm pitching machines are less prevalent than rotating wheel pitching machines, but are generally preferred by hitters because their throwing and release motions more closely approximates live pitching.
Professional and amateur baseball players commonly take batting practice using plastic balls, which are much lighter than real balls. These plastic balls are typically hollow and may be solid or have holes on one or both halves of the balls. Plastic balls are advantageous because they do not carry as far when hit or can be hit into backstops, which would be permanently damaged if normal balls (e.g., hardballs or softballs) were used. The balls are used pitched normally or tossed softly. Unfortunately, such methods do not accurately simulate real hitting because plastic balls lose velocity more rapidly than hardballs. Thus, batting practice using plastic balls does not aid the hitter in critical areas of batting, such as timing and bat speed.
Plastic baseballs are sometimes used for batting practice. They have the advantage of having less mass and not carrying as far as real balls making it safe to use them around buildings and spectators or in a more confined space. Conventional pitching machines are generally not compatible with plastic balls because of the difference in weight of the balls. Hollow plastic balls are also less durable than real balls and can be damaged by some conventional pitching machines. Thus, there is a need for a pitching machine that is compatible with plastic balls and that more accurately simulates real pitching.